Voices from the Old Bailey

[Riklaa]

Voices from the Old Bailey P1 Part 1 Historians struggle to decipher letters and diaries - but what about those who left no record? The poor, those who couldn't write? There is one fantastic source, and it is now online: the Old Bailey Archives. Through court cases, we can hear the voices of the 18th century. Thanks to the speedy court shorthand writers, everyone's speech is recorded, from the posh to the poor. It's the nearest thing we have to a tape recording of the past. In this new series Professor Amanda Vickery presents dramatised extracts from gripping court cases and discusses with fellow historians what they reveal about 18th century society and culture. Amanda Vickery was the presenter of the highly successful "A History of Private Life" on BBC Radio 4 last year. The series begins with the voices of highwaymen in court. Highwaymen were celebrities, with hordes of adoring women, their executions a great public show. Some of them are revealed as charismatic, while some can hardly stutter out a sentence. Amanda listens to what they have to say as they face the gallows, with fellow historians Bob Shoemaker, Helen Berry and John Mullan Throughout the series there are popular ballads - about crime, or written by criminals - recorded for the first time, on location in one of Dick Turpin's hide-outs.

[Robert Flood]

Rick -

Thanks so much for this offering.  I enjoy Rumpole of the Bailey and now I will find out what the Old Bailey was all about.

Bob

[Riklaa]

Thanks all for the Thanks.  -----------------------------  Rick

[Riklaa]

Voices from the Old Bailey P2 100722

Professor Amanda Vickery presents dramatised extracts from gripping court cases and discusses with fellow historians what they reveal about 18th century society and culture.

This time, Amanda listens to the voices of criminal women in the Old Bailey, with fellow historians Judith Hawley, Peter King and Jeremy Barlow, on location in a crowded 18th century lodging house.

The first is a shoplifter, who pilfers a pair of silk gloves. She faces the gallows - but the jury saves her life.

The second is a con-woman, and her case tells us a lot about the vulnerability of men in the 18th century.

The last is an abused wife who chooses the ultimate way out: murder. But once she has murdered her shopkeeper husband, she has great trouble disposing of the body.

BBC - Voices from the Old Bailey P2 100722 160k.mp3

[abby]

Thanks, Rick..I've been watching Garrow's Law on PBS, and it's shocking to see "justice" at work in that time and place!! Looking forward to hearing this series!  I appreciate all your efforts!  ....Abby :)

[353qp5a356i6z]

Hi Rick:

Excellent series, thanks for uploading. Missed it!

katy

[Riklaa]

Hi Katy, I try! I think with the way things are going I am going to have to save up the money to get a second terabyte and a half hard drive. I was keeping up with it until last week when we switched over to pay and now I average about 120 emails a day. Most of them are look at and file but about one third require action. It's cutting into my upload time. LOL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rick

[Riklaa]

Voices from the Old Bailey P1

BBC - Voices from the Old Bailey P1 100715 160k.mp3